Hox Demarcates Regional Regeneration of Adult Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The study investigated the molecular mechanisms behind the regional regenerative ability of adult hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) in different body regions. It found that Hox genes played a crucial role in this process. In wild-type mice, Hox genes were expressed in the dermis of dorsal skin but not in ear skin, which contained dormant hair follicles. However, in a mutant mouse line with a chromosome inversion, Hox genes were ectopically expressed in ear skin, enabling spontaneous hair follicle regeneration. CHIP-Seq analysis showed that Hox genes were repressed in wild-type ear skin but activated in the mutant. The study concluded that Hox genes control regional HFSC regenerative ability through Wnt signaling.